Kamp-Lintfort is a mining town found in the North Rhine-Westphalia region of Germany. It is home to about 39,000 residents.
Mining has helped to shape the character of this city. Many of its residents are still employed in the mines, although the green environmental movement is certainly having a negative effect on this industry. In the last several years, Kamp-Lintfort has seen a shift to a more modernized economy with the arrival of communications and microelectronic companies.
But there is still a strong connection to the past here. One building in particular is responsible for the town’s burgeoning tourist industry, the Baroque beauty Kamp Abbey. It is also known by the names Kloster Kamp and Altenkamp (or Altenfeld) Abbey.
This architectural marvel is quite reminiscent of another famous German edifice, the glorious Sanssouci Palace in Potsdam. Both have distinctive terraced gardens that are a definite draw for tourists. This similarity has given rise to Kamp-Lintfort’s nickname, “Sanssouci on the Lower Rhine.”
The Archbishop of Cologne, Friedrich I founded the abbey in 1123. It was built for a certain order of monks, the Cistercians as one of their first structures in the area. The Cistercians (aka The White Monks) were a Roman Catholic group dedicated to a life of asceticism and manual labor.
Apart from taking in the impressive abbey building, there is also a museum on the grounds. The museum houses some interesting exhibits about the daily life of the White Monks. The pride of this museum is the Antependium, an altar hanging that dates back to the fourteenth century.
With such an interesting past, it is easy to overlook all the modern amenities that Kamp-Lintfort has to offer. But let’s not forget those! In modern times, this town is a relaxation resort, with an eighteen-hole golf course, water parks, cycling trails, an adventure playground and a tranquil lake.
